The OA1 hits.

The hits.

Welcome to Learning English, a daily 30 minute program from the Voice of America.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

And I'm Mario Ritter Jr.

This program is designed for English learners, so we speak a little slower and we use words and

phrases especially written for people learning English.

On today's program, you will hear stories from John Russell and Andrew Smith. Later, Anna Mateo presents today's health and lifestyle report.

Finally, we continue our National Parks journey with a visit to Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park.

But first, Mary Hmong, a busy worker at a Chinese technology company in Shanghai, says she cannot imagine having a second child.

The work pressure is such that you don't even have any time to spend with your child, she said.

How can I think about taking care of two children? I have no idea. Urban

residents in many places might agree with Hmong's statement. But researchers say the speed of population decrease and aging in China means the government

should consider with more urgency the effect of this fast-moving costly city life on birth rates.

At a recent top political gathering, China announced an effort to build a birth-friendly society.

It seeks to establish measures long called for by population experts such as lowering child care and education costs.

But the same experts are concerned that China's new effort also promises to try to get more people

into urban areas.

The plan aims to increase housing demand to support the property sector.

It also aims for economic growth through increased productivity and consumption.

Urban residents generally produce and buy higher value-added goods and services than people in rural areas. But critics say the government's

urbanization plan overlooks basic ideas about how populations operate in different places.

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